Intermittent fasting is a health fad that many people follow, but researchers are now raising concerns about the potential cardiovascular risks associated with this practice.

A popular time-restricted diet strategy, so-called 16:8 intermittent fasting, was analyzed in a study presented at the EPI Lifestyle Science Sessions 2024 in Chicago. However, it has not yet been peer-reviewed or published.

Intermittent fasting has gained popularity for its benefits, including weight loss, improved cholesterol levels, and increased metabolism, but new research suggests a potential downside to this dietary approach.

Researchers analyzed data from a group of 20,000 adults who participated in the annual U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2003 to 2018. They found that people who practiced 16:8 intermittent fasting were 91 percent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than other people. To those who did not follow this fasting method.

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Participants with pre-existing cardiovascular disease who consumed all their calories within eight to 10 hours had a 66% higher risk of death from heart disease or stroke.

In contrast to previous studies that have shown health benefits associated with time-restricted eating, this study suggests that there may not be an overall mortality benefit with this eating pattern. .

Furthermore, among cancer patients, those who did not fast and ate their daily calories for at least 16 hours had a lower risk of dying from cancer.

However, it is important to note the limitations of the study. The dietary information collected is based on his two 24-hour recalls at the time of enrollment and may not accurately represent long-term dietary patterns. Furthermore, observational studies such as this one cannot establish causal relationships.

Experts caution against drawing firm conclusions from these preliminary findings.

Dr. Chen-Han Chen, an interventional cardiologist who was not involved in the study, said differences in baseline characteristics between the fasting groups and potential bias in participants’ recall of dietary patterns could affect the results. He told Medical News Today that there is.

Further research is needed to better understand the long-term effects on cardiovascular health and overall well-being.

(Information provided by agency)